Matrix gaging and sorting machine.



F. H. PIERPONT. "MATRIX GAGING AND SOBTING MACHINE,

Patented Au 10, 19.15.

l5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

v APELICATION man APR. mien. 1914932840 Paar wand F F. H. PIERPONT. MATRIX GA GING AND SORHNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1,1, 191].

Patented Alig. 10, 1915.

l5 SHEETS-SHEET 2- bbwm H fili l/fag? w w w Aw r. H. PIERFONTQ MATRIX GAGING AND SORTING MACHINE. APPLICATH)" FILED APR. H. IQHJ Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

15 SHEETS-SHEET s.

F. H. PI ERPONT. MATRIX GAGING AND SORTING MA'GHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-11.19111 Paltented Aug. '10, 1915;

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4 Zl/a'zf 71/966 86 F, H. Pi-EHPONT. MATRIX GAGING AND sommg MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLEB APR. 11 I911 I 4; Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

15 SHEETS-SHEET F. H. PIERPON T. MATRIX GAGING AND SORTING MACHINE.

l$149,28%8 APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, I911. Aug. 10

15 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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F. H. PIERPONT. MATRIX GAGI NG AND SORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. II, I9II..

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

I5 SHEETS-SHEET 7- 500a 72/5??? ZUdZZ/wSGS 7 .6. zez voz'ba F. H, PIEHPONT. MATRIX GAGING AND SOBTING MACHINE.

1914,29 APPILICATION FILED APR. H. 1911., Patented Aug. 10, 1915:

15 SHEETSHEET 8.

' Patented 10, 1915; 1.5 sums-sham:

F. H. PlERPONT. MATRIX GAGING AND SORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11 1,149,2840

Ewe/ Z (for 7 1y PEIGIIYUOIZZZ Z0166 me 86 e6 Fl H. PIERPONT.

MATRiX GAGING AND SORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APRFHI 1911. Patented Aug. 10,

i5 SHEETS-SHEET l0.

F fi. P1: 137727022 5 waif/ 7 9 c9686 F.H. ,PIERPONT.

MATRIX GAGING AND Somme MACHINE APPLICATION FILED APR. I I, 191 I. w 7

- Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

15 SHEETS $HEET l 1.

.Z'nvezeZar F. H. PIERPONT.

MATRIX GAGING AND SORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1 911.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

I5 SHEETS SHEET $2.

Fly/2.

F. H. PIERPONT. MATRIX GAG ING AND SORTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 1!. I911. 1,149,284. Patented Aug. 10,1915.

15 SHEETS-SHEET I3.

. it if e. 1] 7 mm m 2. m L //W f p it, M w M J v lfl A A a w w ww F. H. PIERPONT. MATRIX meme AND SORTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED APR. H I911- 1,14:9,28. Patented Aug. 10, 1915 F. H. PIERPONT. MATRIX GAGING AND SORTING MACHINE- 1 149 84. APPLICATION man APR. 11. m1.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

15 SHEETS-SHEET l5.

liureiaior preteen resis ance FRANK HINMAN ?IERPGNT, Q3? HSRLEY, ENGLANE, ASSIGI ZEIL FJ T9 LANSTUN MGNOTYPE MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, EENNSYLVANIA, CQRPORATIGN OF V IBGINIA.

MATRIX. GAGING AND SORTING MACHINE.

17 all whom, itmoy concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK HINMAN PIER- rox'r, a citizen of the United States, temporarily residing at Salfords, Horley, in

the county of Surrey, England, have invented a certain neV and useful Improve ment in Matrix Gaging and Sorting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip- 10 tion of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to measuring or gaging, or measuring or gaging and sepa rating or sorting instruments or apparatus, and refers particularly to those for measuring differences or variations in height or altitude in the surface of a body or article,

or the depth of depressions therein.

The chief object of the invention is to provide an accurate and reliable apparatus or instrument wherein the bodies or articlesare conveyed singly by an automatically movable carrier to a measuring or gaging mechanism by which the measurement or.

' gaging, above referred to, is accurately and? automatically performed, and the measuring mechanism, in performing its operation,

automatically renders operative or energizes mechanism which by controlling the extent of the return movement of the carriereiiects the separation of bodies conforming to a predetermined standard from those varying therefrom and also the separation of bodies which do not conform to the standard in one direction from those that do not 0011 form thereto in another direction.

In an instrument or apparatus organized 40 in accordance with the present invention,

the bodies or articles are automatically delivered one at a time, by appropriate feedmg. or transferring mechan sm or pushers,

a ,to a carrier which is moved from a receiv -25 mg position to convey the body or article chine is agaln started and the measuring or gaging device advances to engage one surface or part of the surface of the body and the extent of movement permitted to the gaging device in performing the measuring operation controls the operation Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 11, 1911.

and in dle.

Patented Aug, id, 11ers,

Serial No. 620,392.

and positioning of mechanism Which deter mines the extent of the carriers return movement, after which the body is auto matically delivered from the carrier.

The measuring device is in the form of a needle which is automaticallyadvanced a movable wedge-shaped or tapering member and the extent of movement allowed to this wedge member depends upon the, measurement effected by the needle, mechanism being automatically operated by the needle to stop or look the wedge-shaped member which in turn controls the [M tioning of the stop mechanism limiting tin: return movement of the carrier.

The wedge shaped member is controiled in one direction by a cam or its equivalent; the other bya spring or weight and When it has moved the requisite amount it is locked position'by the mechanism controlled automatically by the measuring nee- Conveniently the needle controls the closing of an electric circuit the closing of which operates the locking member.

Conveniently the stop'mechanism effects the stopping of the carrier in any one of "three possible positions, one where the difference between the two surfaces being measured of the body is normal, another where the difference is less than standard and a third where the difference is greater than standard.

The body in the carrier after the latter is brought to the measuring position, is finally positioned by hand, if necessary, before the needle advances, and a part of the body forming one of the surfaces taking part in the measurement can be observed bv the operator through a microscope orthe like to insure that the body is accurately positioned before the measuring needle advances. y

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is front sectional elevation of an instrument or apparatus embodying the present invention, showing the cafrier in the receiving position. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the carrier with the body in measuring position.

Fig.3 is a similar view to 2, but showing the parts in the positions assumed after the measuring operation. Fig. 4c is a similar view showing the carrier in position to de liver a body wherein the difference between the measured surfaces is greater than normats 5 is a similar view showing the air:

carrier in position to deliver a body wherein the difference between themeasured surfaces is normal. Fig. 6 is a similar View showing with one or two parts omitted for the sake of clearness. Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the apparatus partly in section. Fig. 11 is a plan of the apparatus. Fig. 12 is a sectional plan, the section being taken through the measuring or gaging mechanism. Fig. 13 is another sectional plan. Fig. 14 is a vertical transverse section in the plane of the meas uring needle. Fig. 15 1s a horizontal section ofthe blank feeding mechanism taken above and in the plane of the pusher which delivers the blanks to the carrier. F ig. 16 is a similar View with the pusher advanced to seat the blank in'the carrier Fig. 17- is a vertical section of a part of the blank feeding mechanism taken in a plane to oneside of and. parallel with tlie transferrer which delivers the blank to the pusher, Fig. 15. Fig. 18 is a similar view with the transferred in elevated position sustaininga blank in front of the pusher. Fig. 19 is a top plan view partly in section of the needle adjusting mechanism. Fig. 20 is a detail View showing the circuit closer and interrupter. i I

A is the carrier; B the measuring device or needle; C the wedge-shaped member controlled by the needle B; D is the stop cooperating with the member C to control the extent of the return movement of the carrier; and E is the microscope.

The carrier A is mounted to move vertically in a guide way or channel 90 in the machine body X, and is provided at or near its upper end with a seat or socket a, for the ,bodyjo be measured. The lower end of the carrier rests on one end of an actuating'lever A which is pivoted at a and at its upper end the carrier has an offset or shoulder A see Figs. 1 to 6) which during a portion ofthe travel of the carrier bears against the side wall of the channel, but which when 4 the carrier is in the measuring position (see Fig. 3) enters or coincides with arecessed or cut-away part X of the frame toallow the carrier to turn pivotally on the spindle of a roll a mounted at the lowenend of the carrier to run in a groove in the'nha-nnel a; (see Fig. 14). This is to permit of a lateral movement of the carrier to'finally position the body, if necessary, relatively to the measuring device, as hereinafter described. The end of the lever A rests against a block A (see Fig. 14) let into the carrier A and amazes pressed downward by a spring A to permit of relative movement between the carrier A and lever A as hereinafter described. Block A is formed with cylindrical shank movable in a socket in carrier A and is provided with a lateral extension projecting above lever A as clearly shown. in Fig. let. A cord A attached to a weight A. constantly tends to pullthe carrier downward and the carrier is raised by a cam L acting upon the other end of lever A which is provided with a roll a The bodies or articles to be measured are placed in a galley or container J toward the outlet end of which they are constantly pressed by a follower connected by a cord j to a weight (not-shown) and acting, on the rear end of the column of bodies in the conv acts as a transferrer.

tainer in a well-known manner.

During a portion of the cycle of operations, the outlet end of the container J is lifts the body to the level of the channel X "in the machine frame and again closes the cam L (see Fig. 1).

outlet of the container.

Working in the channel X is a pusher K, in front of which the bod Y is placed by the transferrer K, and -s id pusher is advanced in timed relation to the movement of the transferrer K to feed the body Y into the seat-a in the carrier A.

The pusher K is formed on the end of a longitudinally movable rod is (see Figs. 15 and 16) which, at its outer end, is connected to one end of a lever is (see Fig. 7) the other end of which is secured to a shaft 70 carrying an arm 70 rejecting so as to be engaged periodically y a pin L on the Arm K is loosely mounted on shaft is and is connected thereto by a spring is, Fig. 9, one end whereof is fastened to the arm and the other to the shaft'to form an elastic driving connection between said arm and shaft, one that will yield should the travel of pusher K be interfered with. Lever is is retracted to normal position by a spring 70 one .end whereof nected by a pin and slot connection with.

the rod is. A. spring k (see Fig. 9) fast at one end on lever is andat its other end attached to the fixed pivot pin constantly tends to turn the lever 7.2 to raise the transferrer K but is prevented until the proper time, by said pin and slotconnection the pin on the lever engaging the end wall of the slot in the rod 2;. .Vhen the rod it" moves forward the spring it raises the transferrer-K until the upper end of the latter contacts with a plate in when the pusher 1i will continue to advance until body, raised by the transferrer, is .placed in the seat (a in the carrier.

Aftery'the body has been deposited in the seat 11. by the transferrer K and pusher K, the carrier A is moved upward bodily from the receiving position (see Fig. 1) by the cam L until the body Y therein is opposite the point of the measuring needle B (see Fig; 2) when the mechanism controlling the travel of the carrier is thrown out of g ar automatically and the carrier stopped as will hereinafter be explained.

The cam L is mounted upon a spindle Z which carries a worm Z rotatedby a worm Z that is carried on a shaft Z. The shaft Z is driven by cord or other appropriate gearing and is mounted in a pivoted frame orbearing Z fast on shaft Z and can be turned to engage and disengage the worm Z and wheel Z. Mounted upon the shaft Z is a cam L conveniently formed as a face cam or cam slot in one side of the worm on shaft Z to engage the worm and wormwheel, the pin L .is moved from its outer position in the widened portion of the slot down into and'travels around the concentric part of the slot L until near the end of a revolution, when pin L is again forced up into the higher part of the cam slot (see Fig. 2) through the action of the spring on pin Z the latter engaging the machine frame (see Figs. 1, 2, and 7) to raise the worm out of gear wit-h the worm-wheel. This upward movement and disengagement of the worm and worm wheel takes place when the carrier has been. raised to the measuring position and the pin L engaging with the shoulder joining the high and low parts of the cam slot, stops rotation of the driving wheel. This stopping of the machine when the carrier has brought the body to the measuring position allows a lateral adjustment of the body relatively to the measuring needle to be made by hand and under the visual ontrol of the operator.

When the body is brought (asinFig. 2) opposite the measuring needle B, it is prevented from moving laterally in the seat in the carrier by a bolt P mounted in the machine frame and constantly pressed against be measured, is pressed against a gaging plate or stop M (Figs. 12, 13 and 14:) which is slottedor bored for the passage of the needle. The needle B, which is adapted to enter the cavity or engage a part of the surface not in contactwith the plate M, is advanced by the longitudinal movement of the wedge member C to which is connected, by a cord 5 (see Fig. 12) a weight (not shown). The weight is prevented from moving the member C prematurely by the cam F which, hitherto, has been pressing a lever C upon the end'of the wedge member C. The cam i in rotating, now recedes and allows the weight to move the Wedge member C until the wedge-shaped edge thereof (see Figs. 12, 13 and 19) acting on the block B in which the-needle B, is mounted, presses the point of the latter into the cavity in the body or against part of the surface of the body as shown in Fig. 13.

The-block B carrying needle B is formed or provided with a tubular extension B for the reception of the holder B, the latter provided with a sleeve of insulating material surrounding the needle. The inner end of holder B is provided with a shoulder and is held in yielding contact with a shoulder in extension B by a. spring B? located within said extension. The block 13 is furnished with a beveled or inclined part to engage the inclined surfaces of the member 0 and is held from rotating by a screw 6. A spring B surrounding the forward part of the block 13 serves to return the latter and the needle when the member C is moved back to normal position.

hen the point of the needle touches the surface it is intended to contact with, it closes an electric circuit hitherto open and the closing of this circuit energizes an electro-magnet N (see Fig. 10) which attracts the locking lever N. The locking lever N comprises three or more parts all of which are pivoted at n and carry at. their free ends teeth N 2 adapted to engage teeth C on the wedge member C when the locking block is advanced, thereby holding the member G against further movement under the action of the weight. The parts of the lever N are of slightly different lengths so that one or other of them will engage the teeth on the member C however slight the movement thereof may be without the necessity of providing very fine teeth on the member C. At

their other ends the members of the levers N are each furnished with a spring N which effects the disengagement of the teeth N when the circuit is broken.

There is a second gap in the electric circuit controlled by a Wiper L adapted to engage contact L mounted on an insulating collar L but connected to the shaft of the worm wheel, as by the pin shown in Fig. 20 and these two are only in contact shortly in advance of the movement of the needle and during the time the needle takes to make its longest travel.

The rear side of the member C bears against a wedge C which in turn bears uponan incline X on the machine frame, and the wedge C is constantly pressed forward by a spring 0 and can be Withdrawn to adjust the member C by a screw C A rod C on the end of the member C during the movementof the member, bears upon the endof the pivoted stop member D causing that member to turn on its pivot. At its lower end the stop D is provided with projections D, D D (see Figs. 5, 6 and 7) situated at different levels and adapted to be interposed inthe path of the lever A so that the extent of movement of the lever A and consequently of the carrier A, is dependent upon which of the three stops is interposed, and this interposition is controlled in turn by the-extent of movement of the member C due to the depth of the cavity in the body as mea'sured'by the needle B.

When the pivoted stop lever D has been I moved by the rod C it is held against 176- turn movement bya frictional device or catch. In the present embodiment the lever has its upper end roughened (see Figs; 1- to l) so as to engage a roughened surface on the proximate face of a lever D pivoted at (Z and pulled into engagement With the lever D by a spring 05'.

When the body is in the measuring position the surface or surfacesthereof taking part in the measurement is or are under the observation (see FigSJll', 12, 13 and 14) of the operator throughthe microscope which is provided with the usual ocular, and'with reflectors E" and E ,-the latter mounted at suitable angles to one. another and to the surface of the body to be measured. The reflector E is pierced for the passage of the needle but this does not interfere with the clearnessjof the operators vision. The surface of the body facing the reflector E is reflected therefrom on to the reflector E, and the operatorcan manipulate screws R, R (see Figs. 1 to 6) which bear upon the carrier when the latter is in the measuring positidn, so as to. move the carrier either vertically or horizontally to bring the necessary I part of the body opposite the point of the needle. The body during the measuring operation is pressed against the plate M by a spring-controlled pin S acting on the rear end of the body (see Figs. 12 and 13).

- Should the depth of the cavity in the body: Y be normal, the1 1 the lorward movement of the needle Will be such that the member C will move member D to an extent suflicient to present the stop D in the path of the end of the lever A and the downward movement of the carrier will be such as to place the seat a in the carrier opposite or in line with the receiver J for standard bodies (see Fig. 5).

When the carrier has reached this position an ejector O is advanced to engage a rod or sliding piece A in the carrier and eject the body Y from the seat a and into the receiver J As clearly indicated inFigs; 4 12 and 1-3, sliding piece A forms the rear Wall of the seat a and projects through an openingin the carrier in position to be engaged by any one of the ejectors at the time in register therewith. Themovement of sliding piece A in the carrier is limited by appropriate means, such as a screw projecting into a slotted portion, and the main purpose of interposing said sliding piece between'the contained blank and the ejectors is to limit "the stroke .of-the latterin efi'ecting a displacement and discharge of the blank.

There are three ejectors O, O, 0 provided, one in line with the seat a for each of the stoppingplaces-of the carrier, and conveniently they are all operated from the same source, provision being made for the prevention of damage by the idle advance-of two of the ejectors.

vThe ejectors are mounted to slide in the 7 machine frame and are held in their Withdrawn position by springs t. At their outer ends, the ejectors are connected to a plate 0 (see Figs. 1, 6 and 9) to which is pivotally attached one end of a lever 0* secured to a shaft t. On the other end of the shaft is mounted an arm 0 projecting into the path of a pin 0 mounted on the side of the cam L (see Fig. 6). Between the arm 0? and the shaft t is disposed a-spring O"- forming a yielding connection to allow the pin 0 to continue its travel if the movement of one or other of the ejectors is obstructed. On the side of the carrierproximate to the ejectors are formed recesses into which enter the ejectors which for the timebeing do not lregister With the seat a,

The lever D is returned by a projection D moving in company with the cams F and L,

the projection D is conveniently pivoted to one of the cams and is held against a stop (1 by a spring d The stop D is adapted to engage a stud D on the lever D and When this lever buts against the god C the pro 'jection D turns on'its pivot to overrun the stud D The friction due to the engage ment of the roughened surfaces on thelevers D and D is only suflicient to hold the lever in place when free, but does not-interfere with movement of the lever by the rod C or {stop D.

mo est Should the depth of the cavity in the body Y be greaterthan normal, the movement imparted to the lever D by the wedge member C will be such as to interpose the stop-D in the path of the lever A and the carrier will descend only for enough to bring the seat a in line with the receiver J, and the ejector U will effect the discharge of the body Y from the seat a into that receiver (see Fig. 4:).

W hen the depth of the cavity is less than normal the lever D will be moved to interpose the stop D in the path of the lever A and the carrier will descend until the seat a is opposite an orifice J 3 and the ejector will effect the discharge of the body Y which is allowed to fall as shown in Fig. 6 on to a chute'J and thence to a receptacle at the base of the machine.

The frame is grooved for the reception of the galleys or containers J J and J each ct which latter is detachably secured in its groove or seatby the engagement of the l. shape head j of a bolt j the latter passing through-the frame and having its outer or threaded end engaged by a nut j" as clearly indicated in Figs. 6, 7 and When the carrier is raised by the cam L to the measuring position the part of the i'i'ody which is to be measured is visible to the operator, being under the microscope E and to enable the operator to adjust or linally position the body, mechanism is provided for moving the body vertically and horizontally. Conveniently the whole carrier is moved by the adjusting mechanism. lln the measuring position the shoulder A on the carrier is clear of the shoulder on the machine but the carrier is prevented from turning upon the pivot at its lower endby a spring-controlled pin Q mounted upon the machine frame so that one of its ends presses upon one side of the carrier. A short distance above the carrier is mounted a bell crank lower li, pivoted at 9' one arm of which bears upon the carrier when the latter is in the measring position. Arranged to bear upon the other arm of the lever is an adjustable screw R, by turningwhich in one direction the lever it is caused to depress the carrier against the action of the spring, and by turning this screw in the opposite direction zontal 1y.

the spring A is permitted to raise the car rier.

A secondsi'rrew R is mounted in the ma plinth frame a short distance below the screw it :lhd its inner end bears upon a pivoted lever ll, so that when the screw is advanced. 1

lever R moves the carrier on support and forces it against tilt) bolt Q which fields and permits the body in the carrier to be accurately positioned horifin the screw being retracted the spring-controlled rier.

bolt Q advances the car In Figs. 2 and 3 the carrier is shown in its raised position but has not been adjusted by either the screw R or R to finally position the body, but in Figs. 12, 13 and let the final adjustment has been made and the cavity is shown in line with the needle in Figs. 12 and 14, and in Fig. 13, the needle has advanced into the cavity in the body.

This invention refers generically to gaging or measuring apparatus or instruments or to measuring or gaging and separating or sorting instruments. and in the embodiment above described it is shown applied to an apparatusfor treating type matrices or like bodies of parallelepiped form and of square or oblong cross section, but the invention is not restricted to such machine as it can be applied equally well to other machines.

As hereinbefore indicated the present invention is illustrated in a specialized form adapted forapplying a depth test to type matrices and their subsequent distribution into separate classes. The datum line with relation to which the measurements are performed is furnished by surface M against which the end or face of the matrix containing the cavity is firmly pressed, and the admeasuring member is one adapted to enter the matrix cavity and contact with the surface upon which the printing face of the type is formed.

As is well known matrices of this kind are applied to the face of the mold in which the body of the type is cast, and the depth of the cavity determines the length of the type or as it is termed the height to paper.

If the matrices acted upon were of the same character and dimensions a single setting or adjustment of the machine would s'uthce for all; but inasmuch as the machine is designed to operate upon matrices containing different characters it is necessary from time to time to readjust the relation of the admeasuring member to the matrix in order that the former may be positioned to enter the cavity and contact with the printing face of the character. It is for this reason. and to enable the adjustments to be made before the measuring operation is be gun, that means are provided for automatically disconnecting the driver and bringing the mechanism to rest at a given point in each complete cycle. In the present instance this uncoupling operation is accomplished through the medium of spring actuated pin Z acting in conjunction with cam groove L and driving member Z and it is performed at that period in the cycle when carrier A stands with its seat or socket a in register with needle B and the contained matrix in contact with surface M. At this time pin if engages the outer wall of the enlarged portion of'cam groove L behind of Y J 

